Orūzgān Province
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Orūzgān (اروزگان) | |
| Province | |
| Country |  Afghanistan |
|---|---|
| Capital | Tarin Kowt |
| - coordinates | |
| Area | 22,696 km² (8,763 sq mi) |
| Population | 627,000 (2006) [1] |
| Timezone | UTC+4:30 |
| Main language | Pashto |
 Map of Afghanistan with Oruzgan highlighted
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Orūzgān (Persian and Pashto: اروزگان, also spelt Oruzgan or Uruzgan) is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the centre of the country, though the area is considered part of southern Afghanistan and is culturally and tribally linked to Kandahar. Its capital is Tarin Kowt. On March 28, 2004, the new Daykundi was carved out of an area in the north leaving Oruzgan with a majority Pashtun population and Daykundi with a majority of Hazaras. The map at right shows the provincial boundaries that resulted. But in May 2006, the district of Gizab was taken back from Daykundi and re-annexed to Oruzgan, becoming Oruzgan's sixth district. The map at the bottom of this page is inaccurate, as Oruzgan never included Nesh district.
Taliban leader Mullah Omar was born in Singesar village, in Oruzgan province.
Because of security concerns and the Taliban insurgency, no international aid agencies or NGOs have a permanent presence in Oruzgan. NATO's ISAF operates a Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT), in Tarin Kowt, transferred from US to Dutch authority as of August 2006.
From January 2002 through March 2006, the province was governed by Jan Mohammed Khan, a warlord ally of President Karzai (they are both from the Pashtun Populzai tribe). On March 18, 2006, Karzai appointed Maulavi Abdul Hakim Munib (also spelled "Monib")("Maulavi" is a religious title), a former Taliban official who had reconciled with the Government of Afghanistan, to replace Khan. Munib was a Pashtun from Paktia Province. In September 2007, President Karzai removed Munib, who had become increasingly ineffective, and replaced him as governor with Asadullah Hamdam, a native of nearby Zabul province.
In August 2006, NATO assumed authority for Oruzgan from the US-led coalition, as the Netherlands took command of the PRT from the US as Task Force Uruzgan. There is also an Australian element under the Dutch command.
In the summer of summer 2006, insurgents in Oruzgan were targeted by a NATO-Afghan military offensive called Operation Mountain Thrust.
The 1,400 Dutch and 100 Australians troops in the area have secured the largest population centres in Oruzgan (Dihrawud, Chora, and Tarin Kowt towns) under the "inkspot policy". However, the force's Area of Responsibility includes the entire province, which hasn't been secured. This includes the Gizab district, reportedly one of Oruzgan's most dangerous.
Oruzgan's opium poppy crop reached record levels in 2006 and 2007 according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, as no significant eradication efforts were carried out by the Afghan administration or Dutch forces.
From June 15 to June 19, 2007 Dutch and Afghan soldiers defended the the town of Chora against an assault by Taliban combatants. Reports in the Dutch, Australian [2]and US press [3][4] [5] indicated that the battle was one of the largest Taliban offensives of the year in Afghanistan. The fighting resulted in the deaths of a Dutch soldier, 16 Afghan policemen, an unknown number of civilians and a large number of Taliban.
[edit] Strange Mountain Formation
At 33 0.0' North, 66 6.0' East, there is a mountain formation that looks like a giant face of a bearded man. It is 18 kilometres long (3 x 6).[citation needed]
[edit] Districts
- Chora District
- Deh Rahwod District
- Gizab District
- Khas Uruzgan District
- Shahidi Hassas District (also called "Caher Cineh")
- Tarin Kowt District
- ^ Afghanistan's Provinces – Uruzgan at USAID
- ^ http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21957030-1702,00.html
- ^ http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2007-06-18-afghanistan-airstrike_N.htm
- ^ http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/06/22/europe/EU-GEN-Netherlands-Afghanistan.php
- ^ http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,284052,00.html
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